Don't Forget Me
by gleekywarbler
Summary: Nick and Jeff promise not to forget each other when Nick leaves for college in New York. It turns out, keeping that promise is harder than it might seem.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

Jeff grabbed Nick by his shoulder, turning him around. Tears were beginning to spill onto his cheeks, and his lower lip quivered. He'd never even gotten to tell him that he loved him... and now Nick was going to college in New York. "I... N-Nick?" he muttered, swallowing nervously. Nick's heart ached as he watched Jeff fall apart, and he reached up to squeeze his hand. "Don't... don't forget me, alright?" the blond whispered, chickening out at the last minute. The last thing he wanted was to be a reason Nick regretted chasing after his dreams. "I won't, Jeff."

Six Years Later

Jeff stared at his computer screen, sighing softly. All these years, and not a single email from Nick. He kept trying to convince himself that there was no way the brunette had forgotten about him, but... It had been too long now. Nick was busy doing other things. He had school to focus on, new friends to hang out with, work to do... Maybe he'd even gotten a girlfriend... The thought made Jeff's chest hurt and he shut his laptop quickly, standing and swiftly making his way to the kitchen. He had to forget, too.

In the years he'd spent without Nick, he'd gone through four years of school in Ohio before moving to LA to pursue an acting career. Nick had always wanted to be on Broadway, but Jeff wanted to be in movies. He wanted to be on the big screen, and he wanted to be the kind of star that could inspire and reach out to his fans internationally through his roles... So far, he'd made it onto one TV show. He'd been a sort of guest character, with only five episodes before they killed him off. Between auditions, the blond worked a night shift at Wal-Mart, stocking shelves and dealing with the nocturnal customers who were almost always less than kind to him.

The former Warbler sighed and called for Chinese once he realized that his refrigerator was empty. He turned back toward the living room and grabbed his laptop from the desk, unplugging it so he could sit on the couch with it. Since the moment he decided to forget about Nick, which was hardly five minutes ago, Jeff's mind had already shifted back to him. He opened Google and typed in "Nicholas Duval", just to see what would come up. He didn't expect much, honestly. Why would he? He hadn't had much luck in his quest to be an actor...

But Nick had. In fact, Nick was on _Broadway_. Jeff's eyes shot wide and he quickly clicked the link, desperate to see everything about this show. Nick had managed to get the part of Saint Jimmy in Green Day's "American Idiot", a role he'd always had an interest in. Nick was nothing at all like the character, but that was why he'd wanted to play him. It was a challenge, a true test of his acting skill. Jeff stared in shock at the website for the longest time before his eyes locked on when the show would be running. Nick's first show was in a week. His very first time on a Broadway stage... and Jeff hadn't missed it.

Instantly, Jeff started checking his finances, wondering if he could even pull this off. He had to... He just _had_ to see Nick's first show, even if Nick didn't want him to be there. That's what best bros were for. Jeff had to be there for Nick. He just had to... Hell, even if Nick didn't even see him in the audience, didn't even know he was there, Jeff could at least be there... And he could see Nick perform. This just had to work out.

After almost an hour of doing math and eating Chinese food, Jeff smiled, letting out a soft laugh of relief. He could do it... He could go see Nick's show. Jeff spent the next two days handling the things he needed to at home- telling his boss he'd be out for a week, paying rent, calling to see if he could stay with his aunt and uncle in New York- and once it was time to get on the plane, he didn't even think about hesitating. Why would he? He felt happier than he had in six years... and it was all because of the man who had forgotten about him the summer after high school.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Claire Sterling opened the door of her apartment in New York City and squealed loudly, hugging onto her nephew. "Jeeeeeff!" she chimed excitedly, wiggling from side to side with her arms wrapped around Jeff's stomach. The top of Claire's head only reached the middle of Jeff's chest, and her curly blonde hair bounced as she squeezed him tightly. "Aunt Claire, you're going to break my ribs!" Jeff chuckled, hugging her back. Claire slowly released him, smiling and staring up at him with large blue eyes. "Well, I haven't seen you in three years! I think I need to catch up on some hugs!" Jeff smiled brightly, feeling warm. He'd always felt like he could be himself around his Aunt Claire and his Uncle Trevor...

Claire grabbed Jeff's hand and led him inside, giving him a tour of the apartment and leading him to the guest room. She and her husband were artists, and their apartment was decorated with their work. There were charcoal drawings on the white walls, half-painted canvases scattered about the living room, and small sculptures across the dining room table. Even in the guest room, the walls had a few of Trevor's paintings hanging on them, and several of Claire's sculptures were sitting on the furniture.

Jeff smiled, admiring every piece of art work that he could as they walked through the apartment. He felt inspired here, already... "Well, this is going to be your room for the week. I'll probably run and get something for dinner before Trevor gets home tonight, so... You go out and have _fun_, alright?" Claire told him, gripping his arm with a smile on her full pink lips. Jeff nodded, leaning down to give his aunt a tight hug. "Thank you, Aunt Claire..."  
>"You're welcome, Jeff."<p>

Once Jeff had placed his bags on the floor and used the restroom, he quickly made his way outside and onto the streets of New York City. He'd been here before, but it had always been with his parents, and it had been so long... There was no way that he could remember where anything was. He grinned to himself, deciding to wander around for a while and hope he could find his way back. If not, he could call his aunt or uncle, and certainly one of them would come find him.

Jeff began walking down the road with his hands in his pockets, his cheeks flushed from the cold weather. He wondered what sort of people he would meet, what amazing places he could... Suddenly, the blond stopped in his tracks, his eyes locking onto a certain brunette across the street. No way... There was no way that was him. What were the chances? He'd been in the city for only an hour, and there he was... Nick Duval. He was chatting with a couple of people outside of another apartment building, looking as friendly as ever.

Jeff chewed on his lip and looked away, his heart pounding roughly. What was he supposed to do..? There was no way that this was possible. He had to be imagining it, right? He turned his head back toward the direction in which he'd spotted the man, and sure enough, it was Nick. Jeff could never forget that smile... Instead of going to talk to him- what his heart was begging him to do- Jeff turned back around quickly, walking back to the apartment he was staying in. He wasn't ready for this. He hadn't expected to actually see him before the show...

Honestly, he didn't know what he would even say to Nick right now. 'Hi, I'm madly in love with you, and I came all the way to New York to see your show even though we haven't spoken in six years'? Yeah, right. There was no way. No way in hell... Jeff's plan had been to go see the show, and if Nick confronted him afterward, he would have known what to say. He would have been ready to tell Nick that he just wanted to support him, and that he'd done an amazing job... There was no doubt in Jeff's mind that Nick was going to be amazing. He wanted to talk to his old friend, but under these circumstances he was completely tongue tied.

As Jeff slipped back into the apartment building he was staying in, Nick glanced up, his eyes growing wide as they caught a glimpse of blond hair. Nick would know that hair anywhere... Was... Was Jeff really here?


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Jeff turned as he felt a hand grab onto his wrist, and his blue eyes widened as they met Nick's hazel ones. Before he could say anything, Nick grabbed his face and pulled him down into a kiss. It was filled with passion, a desperate feeling of six years of love that had just been screaming to be let out... Jeff wrapped his arms around Nick's waist, pulling him close as he returned the kiss, tears springing to his eyes. He didn't know what was going on, but he felt so warm. He'd never in his entire life felt happiness like this. He was so in love, and Nick was really in love with him, too... When they pulled back from the kiss, they hugged onto each other tightly, and Jeff let out a light laugh. "I... I missed you Nick..."

"... Who are you?"

The blond jerked awake, a tear rolling down his cheek. He cursed loudly and threw his pillow across the room, covering his mouth with his hand the instant he realized that he was staying with his aunt and uncle, who were going to be worried about him. As he suspected, Claire was almost instantly at his door. "Jeff..? Are you alright?" she asked, her soft voice filled with concern. "Y-yeah, Aunt Claire. I just hit my head on the wall. I'm fine, really," he said, wiping his eyes. He threw the covers off of his legs and walked to the bathroom, flicking on the light and looking in the mirror.

His blond hair was a tousled mess, and he had dark bags under his eyes as if he hadn't gotten any sleep at all. He sighed and looked down, running cold water over his hands and splashing it onto his face. A bad dream was nothing to worry about... even if he'd had it for the past three nights. Every night, he dreamt that he and Nick had been reunited, and that finally, his love for him had been returned... until the very end, when he was reminded that his love had forgotten about him. The former Warbler let out a frustrated sigh, drying his face off before leaving his room to get breakfast. As much as he wanted to talk to Claire and Trevor, he just couldn't. Today was the day.

In just a matter of hours, Jeff was going to be at Nick's first show. Nick's first Broadway show. This show was going to mean amazing, wonderful things for Nick... His dreams were coming true and, despite the fact that Jeff was completely terrified of what could happen between them after tonight, he was honestly so happy for the man that used to be his best friend. Deep down, he still believed that Nick _was_ his best friend. It wasn't like he'd allowed anyone else to fill that spot in the past six years. It was hard, having a best friend who had forgotten about him… but Jeff didn't mind so much. He was just happy that he and Nick still had a life together, even if it was only in his mind.

Jeff grabbed his jacket and pulled it on, deciding to go out and buy an outfit that seemed better suited for the event than anything else he'd brought with him. Sure, it wasn't the classiest play ever, and he knew that. But he wanted to be dressed up just a little for the occasion, even if Nick didn't notice him in the audience at all.

After shopping for almost four hours, Jeff finally found the perfect outfit. He'd decided on black skinny jeans, complete with a studded belt, and a white button-up shirt with a pin striped vest to go over it. It looked rather different on him than his usual tight, colorful t-shirts and hoodies, but he sort of liked it. He felt fancy. He smiled at himself in the mirror once he was done getting ready, and he took a deep breath. "Well, here goes nothing."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Nick groaned when his iPhone's alarm started blaring, and he reached over to pull it off the charger. "Shut the hell up," he grumbled, turning it off and sitting up in bed. He blinked several times as he tried to figure out what the music coming from the kitchen was, and when he realized that it was Green Day's song "Saint Jimmy", his eyes lit up. He grinned fondly and easily slipped out from under the covers, taking a quick shower and getting dressed before running to the kitchen to latch onto the dark haired man that was cooking him breakfast.

"You know me too well, Wes..." he chuckled, squeezing his roommate for a moment before letting go of him. Wes shrugged, smiling softly. "Well, it wasn't hard to choose what the cooking music for this morning should be. After all, today's your big day, isn't it?" Nick nodded, sighing dreamily. "Yeah... It is. I haven't been this excited about anything in years." The brunette sat at the table on the other end of the kitchen, watching his roommate as he continued making his omelet.

As he waited for breakfast to get done, Nick let his thoughts slip to the dark corners of his mind, and he remembered the things that he'd gone through over the past couple of years. He bit his lip roughly, losing himself for a moment. When Wes turned to give him his plate and noticed the look on his face, he rushed over to him and pulled him into a tight hug, sitting the plate on the table. "Everything is alright now, Nick. Good things are happening for you. It's all over..." he whispered, rubbing his back to comfort him.

"Wes... Tell me... Please?" Nick mumbled, his heart pounding so hard that it hurt, his hands shaking. "Nick, he's dead now. He isn't going to hurt you anymore. He can't hurt you now..." Wes said firmly, squeezing Nick against his chest. "It's all over…" After almost five minutes of silence, Nick could finally manage to nod in agreement. He had to remember that… It was all over. That life was gone, and now he was living a new one. He was living the life he'd always wanted to live. He was happy now.

"Thank you, Wes…" Nick said softly, smiling weakly as he finally returned Wes' hug. "I'm so glad I have you…" The former Warbler council member chuckled and brushed Nick's bangs out of his face, smiling down at him. "I try my best. Now, you need to eat and get going, alright? I'll be there tonight." Wes had always been the worrying mother type. Taking care of Nick was something he sort of loved doing. Nick nodded and sat back, releasing his roommate. "Okay." He turned to eat his breakfast, singing along with the song once it started playing for the third time.

After breakfast, Nick hopped out of his seat, leaning over to give Wes a tight hug and a playful kiss on the cheek before grabbing his jacket and heading to the theatre. He was so nervous, so excited… He was really going to be on Broadway. How he'd made it to this point, he'd never understand… Not after all the things that had gone wrong since high school. But he was finally here, and his dreams were _finally_ coming true. Tonight was going to be the best night of his life.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Life is a snowstorm. In the way that no two snowflakes are the same, nothing is the same for two different people. One event can impact two people in incredibly different ways. No two people look at something the exact same way, and that's what makes life so amazing. Everyone is different, but their lives all twist together into a beautiful, terrifying force of nature. Just like a snowstorm, life can be beautiful, perfect, and pure, but it can also be terrifying and dangerous.

As Jeff sat in the audience, staring up at the stage and waiting for the show to start, all he could think of was how amazing life had to be for Nick to really have this chance. He couldn't help but be happy for him, and for now, all thoughts of what would happen concerning their friendship after this show meant nothing to him. He just wanted to see Nick on that stage, singing his heart out in front of all these people… Jeff's heart was pounding, and he had the goofiest of grins on his lips. Nick was going to be a star…

Backstage, Nick tried to focus on the good things about this night, but his mind had wandered back to his past. He'd allowed himself to get nervous, to think about how scary it was going to be to be on that stage in front of all those people… And then he thought of even scarier things, like the way he'd been beaten unconscious before he'd even been in New York for a year. He bit his lip roughly, toying with the heavy silver rings that were on Saint Jimmy's fingers. What sort of horrible things had he done in a past life to deserve that? He was here to make his dreams come true, to be happy…

When it was time for the show to start, Nick forced all of the dark thoughts into the corners of his mind where they belonged, and he forced himself to smile. Tonight, he was going to make his mark, and he was going to become a star. He couldn't let the past get in the way of this chance. This show was going to change his life…

"My heart is beating from me, I am standing all alone. Please call me only if you are coming home," Nick sang out, gripping the rails on the rolling staircase that he was on top off. He was starting off the song "Homecoming", in which Saint Jimmy commits suicide by 'blowing his brains out into the bay'. "Waste another year flies by, waste a night or two… You taught me how to live." As soon as the line left his lips, Nick's eyes locked onto a light patch of color in the audience. The performer's heart pounded roughly in his chest, and it took everything he had not to smile and break character. Jeff really was here. His best friend… Oh, god, he hadn't lost him. He had been so worried that Jeff wouldn't want to speak to him again. Not after how long he'd gone without saying anything to him…

Filled with excitement, Nick continued to sing, hitting every note without a single flaw. He had to do well; Jeff had come to see his show. He knew that Wes was in the audience, along with so many other people, but… Nick knew that Jeff had come all the way here to see him from LA. He just knew that Jeff had to be going after his dreams just like he was. "In the crowd of pain, Saint Jimmy comes without any shame. He says we're fucked up, but we're not the same, and mom and dad are the ones you can blame.

"Jimmy died today; he blew his brains out into the bay. In a state of mind, in my own private suicide…" Nick very slowly lifted the gun to his head and pulled the trigger, falling into the arms of the people at the bottom of the staircase. In the audience, Jeff chewed on his lip in an attempt to keep himself from smiling like a total dork. Nick was absolutely brilliant. He was the most talented person Jeff had ever met, and he was finally getting to share his passion for performing with other people…

After the show, Jeff started to walk outside when his arm grabbed by what looked like a stagehand. He was dressed in casual clothes and had a headset on, and he seemed nervous. "Hey… Someone wants to see you backstage," he said, looking a little uncomfortable about having to confront Jeff this way. He'd never been sent to fetch someone from the audience before. Hell, he wasn't even sure that he was supposed to unless the person was already allowed backstage. But Mr. Duval had insisted on seeing this guy. Jeff's heart skipped a beat and he slowly nodded, swallowing hard. "A-alright."

Jeff was led backstage by the stagehand, and he toyed with the buttons on his vest the whole way to Nick's dressing room. He felt like his heart was going to explode… When they finally stopped at the door and the stagehand walked away, Jeff shut his eyes tightly and took a deep breath. "Wish I may, wish I might… Please let things be okay after tonight," he mumbled to himself before knocking on the door. Within the room, he could hear the sounds of Nick scrambling to his feet followed by, "Ow, shit! When did that chair get there?" Almost instantly afterward, the door flew open and Nick latched onto Jeff by hugging his neck, laughing excitedly. "Oh my god! Jeff, you made it!"

Jeff's eyes shot wide and he chuckled, hugging Nick as close as he could. He felt so relieved… "Nick, you're insane if you thought I was going to miss your first show!" He started to pull away so that he could look at Nick's face, and when he did his eyes locked onto Wes. Wes was standing toward the back of the dressing room, looking as if he'd just been attacked. His shirt was halfway unbuttoned, his hair was far messier than it usually was, and there was a dark purple mark on the side of his neck that he wasn't hiding very well with his fingers. "Wes..?"

"H-hey, Jeff."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Wes and Jeff sat awkwardly in the chairs of Nick's dressing room, avoiding all eye contact with each other. Wes had finally fixed his clothes and hair, but it didn't make Jeff feel any less uncomfortable. When the hell had they gotten together? He didn't even know for sure that Nick was gay before now. And sure, he was happy that he was, but… He was with Wes now, and it messed with his head a little more than he wanted to admit. Finally, Wes couldn't handle the awkward, and he stood. "I think I'll just step out and let the two of you talk…" he said, turning and leaving room. Once the door shut behind him, Nick sighed and muttered, "Jeff, I… I have a lot to tell you. Since I left for college, a lot has happened…"

"Clearly," Jeff said, glancing slowly over at the chair Wes had been in before turning his gaze back to the man he loved. "So, you're… dating Wes," he said, taking a deep breath as he did. "Yeah… We've been together a couple of months now, actually." Nick smiled then, thinking about how good Wes was to him. "He's really sw—"  
>"As happy as I am for you, Nick… <em>Please<em> don't tell me how happy you are with Wes…" Jeff said quickly, feeling a little light-headed from the sharp pain that had started in his chest once he saw that smile on Nick's face. "I just… I'm really, seriously glad you're happy, but I… I don't want to talk about it. If that's okay…"

Nick seemed a little surprised, but he slowly nodded. Maybe Jeff had just gotten out of a relationship or something… Maybe he'd always had a crush on Wes. Either way, he didn't mind not talking about it. He took a seat next to Jeff, sighing softly. "I… I want you to know I didn't lie to you in high school or anything. I really thought I was straight. Then I came to New York, and… and I met this guy," he said, the tone of his voice changing. He'd gone from sounding perfectly happy to sounding completely and utterly depressed. Jeff looked up in concern, and Nick continued talking. "His name was Kendall, and he completely swept me off my feet. He was a senior at the school, and he was just… so charming," he began, chewing on his lip.

Jeff wanted to ask where this was going, but he knew that Nick would get there. From the look on his face, this was a serious topic… Despite being worried, Jeff felt happy that Nick still trusted him enough to spill his guts to him this way. "After my first semester in college, he convinced me to take a break and spend time with him, since he'd graduated… and for a while, it was great. He was really sweet to me, and we even started living in his apartment together. But he started acting different after a while…" he mumbled, running his fingers through his hair.

"He would get mad at me for little things, like forgetting to wash the dishes… He'd stay out all night long, and he brought people over that I didn't know, people who made me feel uncomfortable. Then I found out he was doing drugs, and I tried to convince him to stop. That was the first time he hit me…" Jeff's eyes shot wide and he looked up into Nick's eyes. The brunette had a blank stare on his face, and he was chewing on his lip. Jeff wanted to say something, but before he could, Nick started up again. "I admit that I was stupid… I thought he would change, because… well, he'd been so good to me before the drugs. I thought… maybe if I just did things right, he'd love me still. I thought that if I cleaned every day, or if I… If I let him fuck me more often, then maybe we could work it out… But things only got worse.

"When I found out that Wes had come to New York, too, I invited him over… I wanted to see him… Hell, I wanted to see anyone. Kendall wouldn't let me see my friends much, really. But he'd gone out for the night, and I was lonely. When he got home, he found Wes and I asleep in our bed. I wasn't going to make him sleep on the couch… So, he made Wes leave, and he started wailing on me. When I woke up, I was in the hospital. He'd told the paramedics I came home after getting jumped in an alley, and that I passed out when I got to the bedroom. So he took me home. He beat me a few more times after that…"

Jeff's eyes filled with tears as he listened to Nick's story, and he clenched his hands tightly into fists. He couldn't believe someone would hurt Nick that way… "Eventually, I couldn't take it anymore. I hated being scared, being hurt all the time, being sore when he wasn't even hitting me… So, I fought back… I shoved him away, and he fell into our dresser. There was a really old, huge TV on top of it… and he hit it so hard that it fell and… and it landed on his head. It killed him…" Nick muttered, tears finally filling his eyes. "I panicked and called Wes… I didn't know who else to talk to. He helped me call the cops and explain the situation… He kept me from going insane with guilt. And I didn't get in trouble or anything… It was an accident, and it was self-defense. But… I-I'm still recovering from what it did to me emotionally.

"After that, I moved in with Wes, and we've been living together since. I finished school mostly to keep myself busy, keep my mind occupied… And when I wasn't doing school work, I pretty much whored around and got drunk for a while. I stopped that after Wes got on to me for it, and he started taking care of me since I wasn't very good at doing it myself…. So… Here we are," he said with a light shrug, looking up at Jeff. There were tears rolling down the blond's cheeks, and he'd had to bite his lip to keep it from quivering. "I'm… I'm sorry I never called you, Jeff… I… I haven't been okay… I wanted to, I—"

Jeff leaned over and hugged onto his best friend tightly, shaking his head and clinging to him. "N-no, it's okay, Nick… It's… D-don't worry about it. Seriously, I'm okay… I'm fine…" he mumbled. Slowly, Nick hugged back, and once he allowed himself to relax into Jeff's arms, he broke down and started sobbing, burying his face in his shoulder. "I-I missed you so much, Jeff…"

"I missed you too, Nick…"


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

Wes stood awkwardly outside as he waited for the two to finish their reunion, knowing there was no way he and Jeff could look at each other the same way again. Wes was one of the few people Jeff had told about his crush on Nick in high school. Wes had never told Nick about it because... Well, because it wasn't his business to. Jeff asked Wes not to tell back then, and Wes surely wasn't going to tell him just because they hadn't talked in six years... Besides, Wes wondered if Jeff was even strong enough to be with Nick now. Nick didn't just need a boyfriend—he needed someone to take care of him. For the most part, Nick was getting better, but Wes had seen from experience that Nick was very easily pulled back into his memories, and it hurt him deeply... Nick needed someone who would wake up in the middle of the night just to hold him, someone who would drop everything they were doing just to cheer him up... Was Jeff capable of that?

The former council member turned his head quickly as he heard the door open, and Jeff stepped out. "Hey... Uh, thanks, Wes... For not saying anything," he said, smiling a little. "I don't know how I would have handled seeing him with you if he knew how I felt." Wes swallowed hard and bit his lip. "Jeff, I—"  
>"Wes, you had no idea I was coming here... Hell, I didn't. And besides... Nick really likes you, and he needs you. We're cool." The blond held his hand out to Wes, who very slowly nodded and shook it. "Alright, Jeff... We'll see you again, won't we?" Wes asked, looking up into Jeff's eyes. Jeff let himself smile, nodding. "Yeah... I, uh... I guess all three of us are having dinner tomorrow before I leave the next day. I live in LA," he explained, turning away to walk off.<p>

"Wait!" Wes called after him, stepping forward. "... I... Jeff, Nick's not well, and—" he began, but Jeff cut him off. "I know what he's been through. He told me... I still love him. Nothing could change how I feel about Nick," he said, turning to face Wes. "Nick is and always has been my everything, Wes... I'd do anything to make him better." With that, he turned and walked out of the theater, leaving Wes staring after him to think about what he'd said. When Wes turned to go into the dressing room and he saw Nick standing in the barely open door, his heart stopped. "N-Nick, did..?"  
>"I heard everything..."<p> 


End file.
